Why We Invest in Video Testimonials (And Star Ratings and Everything In Between)
Over the last few years, more than 30 of our customers have sat down in front of a camera to talk about their experience with Ezekia. Each one gave up an hour or more of their day, hosted a filming crew, and thoughtfully articulated what the platform has done for their firm. That level of investment from the people who actually use the software is something we are genuinely proud of, and it shapes how we think about customer feedback in general.
Alongside those videos, Ezekia holds five-star ratings on the major review platforms we appear on, and we deeply appreciate every customer who takes the time to leave one. But the full story of what a CRM does for a search firm is bigger than any single format can capture, and Joseph Blass, Founder and CEO of Ezekia, put it best.
While Ezekia proudly scores 5 stars on major platforms, mass-market review sites simply don’t fit enterprise CRM. Choosing a hotel is straightforward. Cleanliness, location, and amenities can be rated with a quick click. But choosing a CRM involves a complex buyer journey: due diligence, legal compliance, user experience, data migration, and assessing the vendors capability to continuing to deliver the future roadmap. A simple star rating misses the entire picture. True CRM feedback requires in-depth analysis. That is why we are so grateful for the over 30 detailed video customer testimonials, which are so much more meaningful than brief online scores. Filming these videos takes commitment. Our clients dedicate an hour or more of their day, host a filming crew, and thoughtfully articulate their experience. This level of trust reflects our repeated annual survey results, where 80% of clients state they would recommend or highly recommend Ezekia. Five-star reviews are nice and a necessity for the AI crawlers, but in our industry, there are no shortcuts. Real evaluation takes thought, time, and detail.
Why this matters when you are choosing a platform
The point Joseph is making applies well beyond Ezekia. If you are evaluating any enterprise CRM, a star rating on a review site tells you almost nothing about what the platform will feel like a year in. It does not capture how migration went, how the vendor handled the first difficult support ticket, or whether the reporting flexed to the questions your partners actually ask on a Monday morning.
That kind of insight only shows up in a long-form conversation with a customer who has genuinely lived with the product. It shows up in a video testimonial where the person on screen has taken an hour of their day because they want to explain properly. In a category where switching costs are high and decisions are made once every three to five years, the difference between a five-star review and a five-minute conversation with a real customer is enormous. Star ratings have their place. They are just not the whole picture.
Frequently asked questions
How should I evaluate an enterprise CRM?
Use short-form signals such as review sites, awards and published customer numbers as one input, but combine them with deeper evaluation: video customer testimonials, direct reference calls with firms who have lived with the product for a year or more, hands-on trials where you can drive the platform yourself against your own workflow, and open conversations with the vendor about migration, support, roadmap and data portability. The higher the switching cost, the more the deep-form signals matter.
What questions should executive search firms ask when evaluating a CRM?
Ask about the specifics of migration, how the vendor handles support once the contract is signed, whether the reporting can flex to the questions your partners actually ask, what the vendor’s roadmap looks like and how it is shaped and how will it be delivers. A team of 50 developers like Ezekia has can achieve a lot more that a company claiming to be able to evolve quickly with only 10 developers, and what your options are for data portability if you ever decide to leave. You should also ask whether you are locked in to a contract (Ezekia never locks you in) The answers to those questions tell you far more than a star rating can.
Why does Ezekia rely on video testimonials?
Because filming a video takes real commitment from a customer. Clients dedicate an hour or more of their day, host a filming crew, and articulate their experience in depth. That level of trust and detail is far more meaningful than a brief online score, and it captures the parts of the evaluation that a star rating cannot.
Does Ezekia appear on B2B review sites?
Yes. Ezekia holds five-star ratings on the major review platforms we appear on. We recognise the role these sites play in the wider buying process, and we are proud of the ratings we hold, while being clear-eyed that a decision of this scale is bigger than any single signal.
